ZAHRTMANN, Kristian - b. 1843 Rønne, d. 1917 Frederiksberg

Danish painter (full name: Peder Henrik Kristian Zahrtmann). He was a part of the Danish artistic generation in the late 19th century, along with Peder Severin Krøyer and Theodor Esbern Philipsen, who broke away from both the strictures of traditional Academicism and the heritage of the Golden Age of Danish Painting, in favour of naturalism and realism.

He studied painting at the Sorø Academy, where he studied painting with landscape painter Hans Harder (1792-1873). Between 1864 and 1868 he studied at the Royal Danish Academy of Art in Copenhagen under - among others - Wilhelm Marstrand and Frederik Vermehren. He exhibited regularly at Charlottenborg 1869-1891. He exhibited at the World Exhibitions in Paris 1878, 1889, 1900 and in Chicago 1893.

In 1875-1878 he resided in Italy, where he produced a number of paintings. He traveled afterwards many times again to Italy. He also traveled to Greece several times, as well as to France and Portugal.

He was known especially for his history paintings, and especially those depicting strong, tragic, legendary women in Danish history. He also produced works of many other genres including landscapes, street scenes, folk scenes and portraits.

Zahrtmann became interested in the story of the heroic 17th century daughter of a Danish king, Leonora Christine (1621-1698). He commemorated her story in a series of 18 large paintings over many years.

Zahrtmann taught at the Artists Studio School 1885-1908. He had some 200 students from the Scandinavian countries. Because of his prominence as a teacher the school was often simply referred to as “Zahrtmann’s School”.

The Death of Queen Sophie Amalie

Sophie Amalie (1628-1685) became Queen of Denmark in 1648. She was the daughter of Duke George of Brunswick-L�neburg, and in 1643 she was married to Frederik III. She was the mother of Christian V. In spite of the dire financial situation of the Kingdom, she was the centre of a sumptuous court life, with exclusive luxury items and grand parties, which shed glory on the royal power.

The present painting belongs to the group of around 100 pictures, studies, and sculptures that Zahrtmann created on the basis of Leonora Christine’s (1621-1698) memoirs from 1869. Her life and destiny, spanning the range from wealth and power through imprisonment and shame to rehabilitation and release, fascinated Zahrtmann for almost 50 years. Sophie Amalie was behind Leonora Christine’s arrest and 22 years of imprisonment in Blatarn. Zahrtmann hated her for that, and his sentiments are apparent with exceptional honesty in this depiction of her death throes.

Surrounded by silverware and magnificent silks, the dowager queen Sophie Amalie breathes her last. A grotesque figure whose status and wealth cannot deliver her from a violent and painful death by asphyxiation.